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ElectricSteve writes "Utilizing human lung and blood vessel cells, researchers have created a device mounted on a microchip that mimics a living, breathing human lung. About the size of a rubber eraser, the device was developed by a team from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, and Children's Hospital Boston. Because it's translucent, researchers can watch the processes taking place inside of it — something that's difficult to do with an actual lung. It will be used for testing the respiratory effects of environmental toxins, aerosolized therapeutics, and new drugs. Using conventional models, such tests can cost more than $2 million."

So before a whole bunch of people talk about implanting a RAID array of solid state lungs in you, or helping people, or finding a better way to assist people with breathing issues, I'm going to give kudos to the submitter for putting the intended purpose of these things in the summary.

That aside, when will we be able to implant a RAID array of solid state lungs?

I'd be up for a RAID array of solid state lungs if they're more efficient than normal lungs. Up to now, I've been hoping for re-engineered lungs based on those used by birds. I figure the high-efficiency of bird lungs will allow me to opt for smaller lungs and then give me room for a second heart (because it just doesn't make sense to have only one organ doing such an important job). Now with hyper-efficient lungs and two hearts spreading all that oxygenated blood through my circulatory system, I expect to

And, of course, there are benefits beyond the stated cost savings. We get to see the effects on human lung tissue rather than on approximations like mouse lungs, and it can reduce the number of animals needed for testing.

We weren't meant for recreation, we were meant to have fun! Uh, and I doubt these artificial lungs are self-aware. But the artificial lens in my left eye sees a lot better than the real one it replaced did, even if it's not self-aware. I don't think the real lens was self-aware, either.

Yesterday we had the story about artificial lungs implanted on rats [slashdot.org], today we have this... I think in a week we'll have a story about a computer system, which will be given command over all military hardware...

Sitting on a lab benchCame of mad science with good intent.Environmental toxinsClear tissues seared by nasty goo!Twitching under cold lightsshivering as endless tests are run.Looking quite obsceneIf it had a mouth it would probably scream.